Another Wave of You ✓

04 • Ghost's Past

    "Doesn't matter!" he responded too quickly. "That's completely irrelevant. I'm not here for that, remember? I'm not looking for love!"

    "Then don't look for love!" he quipped with a wink, before jogging away at the coach's whistles.

     Theo rolled his eyes.

     He made his way out of the mass, going to the opposite direction of the crowd. It wasn't that he hated small spaces — the crazy adventures he and Zach had endured in many club-hopping crusades proved otherwise. But when he was sober, when a lot of his thoughts weren't buzzed down, he needed a little peace and quiet. 

     And suddenly he found himself standing in front of a small shack. With the logo of an anchor on the top of it. He halted his steps.

     The familiarity of it was so strong it left him speechless.

     This was where it happened, he thought. This was where he'd laid his skin bare to the girl with brown eyes and curiosity on the tip of her tongue.

     Someone cleared his throat.

    "Um," a boy stared at Theo. "Do you want to sit? Um, sir?"

     Theo raised an eyebrow. He masked his surprise as he saw how young this employee looked — which was a bit ironic, since he dyed his hair a shocking bright colour, almost stark white. He was probably his little brother's age. 

     Did Lenny have a habit of hiring anyone under twenty or what?

     He saw no sign of her, however, and because he was close to dying of thirst, dropped on the closest stool in front of him. It was only after he laid his bag on top of the counter did a thought occur to him. Was this the same stool he sat on, while she listened to him, bare and vulnerable?

    "What would you like, sir?"

     He blinked. "I'll take a Blue Lagoon," he said, knowing he could at least handle the amount of vodka in the drink to avoid past mistakes. 

     Plus, he really loved lemonade.

    "Right on it, sir."

     Five minutes later, he was gripping a glass of the blue liquid, feeling better than before. Alcohol may be the perfect remedy for almost anything. Almost.

     Then he heard her voice. 

    "Jeff! We need another fruit bowl, pronto!"

     In an instant, Theo crouched down and ducked his head below the counter, about the same time Lenny appeared in the shack from the other side. From the way her footsteps abruptly stopped, he could tell she was standing right next to the young employee.

     "Uh — " he blinked, trying to figure out what the hell happened. "Right on it, boss!"

    "What is that?" He could practically hear Lenny's horror. "Is that a Blue Lagoon? Jeff, what are you doing drinking that? You're fifteen!"

    "Um, I can — " Jeff panicked. "It was — I didn't — oof!" Theo kicked the boy's leg from under the table. "I, uh, wanted a little sip. Just curious. I'm sorry. I won't do it again, Len."